Microphones for conferences are mounted to microphone stands placed on desks, and are used by conference attendees (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-11165). Such microphones are mountable to and dismountable from microphone stands. A microphone for a conference includes a microphone unit, an output connector, and a microphone housing (connector case). The microphone unit is a condenser microphone unit configured to output sound signals in response to sound waves from a sound source, for example.
The output connector is connected with an input connector (receptacle) of the microphone stand, which will be described below, and outputs sound signals from the microphone unit to the microphone stand. The output connector includes pin plugs which conform to the JEITA Standard RC-5236 “Circular connectors, latch lock type for audio equipment,” for example. The output connector includes a cylindrical base, a first pin for grounding, a second pin for sound signals at the hot side, and a third pin for sound signals at the cold side.
The connector case accommodates the output connector and serves as the ground line for sound signals. The connector case is composed of metal and has a shape of a cylinder. The connector case includes a latch groove to which a latch claw, which will be described below, fits. The latch groove is disposed on the inner circumferential surface at the base end portion of the connector case. The “base end portion” is an end portion of the connector case and is to be inserted in a connector-supporting hole, as described below. The output connector is accommodated in the connector case and is fixed with screws.
The microphone stand supports the microphone and outputs sound signals from the microphone to external devices such as mixers. The microphone stand includes the input connector to be connected to the output connector of the microphone.
The input connector is a socket receptacle which conforms to the JEITA Standard RC-5236 “Circular connectors, latch lock type for audio equipment”, for example. The input connector includes a housing, a pin-receiving portion, a connector-supporting hole, and a latch-locking mechanism.
The housing supports the pin-receiving portion and the latch-locking mechanism. The housing is composed of metal and has a shape of a cylinder, for example. The pin-receiving portion holds three pins which connect to the first to third pins of the output connector. The pin-receiving portion is composed of synthetic resin and has a shape of a cylinder. The pin-receiving portion is fixed to the inside of the housing. The connector-supporting hole supports the base end portion of the connector case. The connector-supporting hole is a cylindrical space defined by the inner circumferential surface of the housing and the outer circumferential surface of the pin-receiving portion.
The latch-locking mechanism fixes the base end portion of the connector case into the connector-supporting hole. The latch-locking mechanism includes a latch claw and a release lever. The latch claw fixes the connector case to the input connector. The latch claw is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the pin-receiving portion in the connector-supporting hole. The latch claw can advance and retract in the radial direction of the pin-receiving portion. The latch claw is electrically connected with a ground line of the input connector. The release lever moves the latch claw inwardly to the radial direction of the pin-receiving portion.
The base end portion of the connector case is inserted in the connector-supporting hole in the input connector when the microphone is mounted to the microphone stand. The latch claw of the input connector is fit into the latch groove of the connector case. That is, the microphone is fixed to the input connector through one latch and the latch groove. The microphone is no longer movable in the longitudinal direction of the microphone after fitting of the latch claw into the latch groove. The latch claw is then electrically connected with the latch groove (connector case) and serves as the ground line for sound signals.
The latch claw retracts from the latch groove when an operator of the microphone presses down the release lever. As a result, the microphone is dismounted from the microphone stand. As described above, the microphone is mountable to and dismountable from the microphone stand.